Violence. It permeates our lives and our culture. We are surrounded by it. Television, newspapers, movies, video games, wars, shootings, arguments, domestic abuse, gangs, muggings - there’s almost no way to get around it. We want to find a sanctuary, a place to escape the violence of our world . . . and yet, in this season, we come to the most violent stories of our scripture and our faith.

Betrayal. In one way or another, it is a word that we all know all too well. Whether a friend, spouse, co-worker, family member, or stranger - we have tasted its bitterness. As we draw closer to the cross of Christ, we draw closer to the betrayal that Jesus experienced from his closest friends and followers. In reflecting on this betrayal, Michael Card writes:

“In the Israel of that time, a kiss of greeting was a sign of honor and trust, but in the centuries since, a Judas kiss has come to stand for the worst kind of deception. I wonder: Compared to the whips, thorns, and nails that were to come, was the kiss of a friend the worst violence of all?”